So far, we have discussed two of the major sub concerns in relation to the civic issue of sustainability in real estate. One was a more materialistic concern, discussing how sustainable real estate is better for the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and contributing less to global warming. The other being a more social concern discussing the intersection of real estate and systematic discrimination based on financial status. The final concern we will be discussing in relation to sustainability in real estate is more of a holistic one. Health and well-being, in general, are subject to much improvement given the right changes in relation to sustainability in real estate.
This topic is more of a one-sided focus on sustainability because there isn’t much to say in terms of the drawbacks of the current state of real estate. There are only the benefits that come with the implementation of green building when talking about the health and wellness of the people occupying the homes and some of the drawbacks during that implementation. This can be achieved in a multitude of different ways under the umbrella of sustainable development, and it has had a lot of promising effects based on years of research.
Starting off with an accurate description of health and wellness itself, I feel that too often the terms are used synonymously, and that is simply not the case. A more accurate definition, according to the World Health Organization, would be that health refers to “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO). Wellness, also according to the WHO, is “the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. There are two focal concerns: the realisation of the fullest potential of an individual physically, psychologically, socially, spiritually, and economically, and the fulfillment of one’s role expectations in the family, community, place of worship, workplace and other settings” (WHO). Essentially, it seems that health is used in a more immediate sense, while wellness is achieved over time. Either way, the point here is to discuss how green buildings and sustainability in real estate, in general, can help foster both of those in the people who are fortunate enough to be living in greener homes. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as a reference to the previous post about lower-income households, green buildings can contribute to healthier living environments, reducing healthcare needs for children and missed workdays for parents who might be struggling to make ends meet. Most of the benefits from green buildings intertwine as seen above, but focusing on health and wellness specifically, there are a few ways in which aspects of sustainable development can be narrowed.
According to Horizant Solutions, there are a few study-proven methods that work to increase the health and wellness of a green building’s occupants, with the first being the lighting: “Design elements like large windows, skylights, glass doors and walls, open concept spaces, and lighter wall colours can all enhance natural light, both improving the wellbeing and creativity of occupants and decreasing electricity bills” (Horizant). They also mention how applying research on blue light during the day can also lead to better productivity and sleep during the night.
Another element is green space, which is essentially finding a location close to greenery like a park. The easy access to open, refreshing spaces has been shown to increase the mental well-being of the occupants, and even if the location is bad, using good window positioning to highlight natural elements of the surroundings can have a similarly positive effect.
Biophilic elements are also beneficial in this regard. According to the University of Kwazulu-Natal’s digital library for scholarly research – ResearchSpace – the addition of biophilic architecture or elements has been shown to positively impact health and well being: “When investigating factors such as natural light, colour, fresh air, visual contact with water and nature or noise pollution, it is found that exposure to such natural elements positively influences human behaviour, health and productivity in a live, work and play environment” (ResearchSpace). Therefore, adding natural elements into the household design has been shown to increase creativity and productivity, while reducing stress, resulting in an overall increase in the health and wellness of occupants.
Finally, the layout of the space can promote greater health and well-being. For example, if you move communal items to a certain location rather than giving everyone their own, it forces people to move around to get what they need, which could also promote healthier relationships because you’d be bumping into people at those communal spaces. This is more geared toward an office environment, but in a household, it holds true for spaces like the kitchen or the living room. Essentially, you want the house laid out in a way that promotes activity and interaction to foster greater health and wellness. Another example is something like stairs. This, in a household, would probably only apply to a small minority of wealthy people who have elevators in their homes, but even with smaller apartments that have fewer than 5 or 6 floors, it can apply. If you make the stairs more inviting in the layout, by making them more architecturally interesting and in a frontal location, people will be more likely to use them rather than the elevator, once again promoting movement, health, and wellness.
The drawbacks to implementing these are minor but present nonetheless. The only really notable one is the price. The more features you want to add to your house, the more expensive it’s going to get. Other than that, the benefits outweigh all of the smaller drawbacks.
Overall, sustainability in real estate improves the quality of life of the people occupying the homes which are developed using green building techniques, and that is the reason sustainability in real estate is considered a civic topic. The effects of green buildings, or rather the benefits, affect the entire group of people considered homeowners. It’s good that the health and wellness of those people is being brought to the forefront of discussion on sustainability and that the emphasis is being placed on using the possible positives from green buildings on health and wellness is being used as a driver for more sustainable development.
https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/major-themes/health-and-well-being
https://www.who.int/healthpromotion/about/HPR%20Glossary_New%20Terms.pdf
https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-and-affordable-housing
https://horizantsolutions.com/facilities-management/how-green-buildings-improve-our-health/
https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/handle/10413/11123
I feel like the points you raised in this blog can be felt day to day. For one, when I am in a room with a lot of natural light, I feel more happy and energetic, and I assume this has an impact on one’s health. However, I would love to see if there is research on the exact amount of natural light etc. that is optimal for good health as there are two extremes from no windows to floor to ceiling windows. Overall, I really enjoyed your civic issues blogs.